Today's News

UPDATED, Friday, June 20, 8:40 a.m.--The Central Kentucky Mudcat baseball classic is underway with a revised schedule. All games are being played at the Anderson County High School field. The Kentucky Grizzlies, based in Frankfort, led the Mudcats 3-0 before rain stopped the contest in the fifth inning Thursday night. Montgomery County defeated the Morse Mustangs of Danville in Thursday's other game.

Because of a late entry to the tournament, the schedule changed after the June 18 print edition of The Anderson News went to press. The new schedule is: Friday, June 20

The county's animal control officer was charged Tuesday afternoon with DUI while on duty at the county animal shelter.

Darrell Waldridge, 50, of 206 Center St., Lawrenceburg, had a blood alcohol level of .171, nearly twice the legal limit, according to an arrest report obtained from the Anderson County Sheriff's Department.

A drop in home prices coupled with interest rates hovering around 6 percent resulted in home sales here that significantly outpaced sales nationally during the first quarter of 2008.

Real estate professionals are rejoicing in the latest home sales figures released last week by the Lexington-Bluegrass Association of Realtors, or LBAR, that show sales in Anderson County were up 24 percent from the first quarter of 2007. Nationally, sales were down nearly 23 percent.

Growing up, I was an avid Cat fan...well, a UK Wildcat fan, that is. You see, in the years just before the current Bearcat athletes were born, I was a Mercer County Lady Scottie, and I would dare say that back then, I would never think of cheering for the Anderson Bearcats.

In life, however, change is inevitable. The Scotties do not even exist anymore, but more importantly, seven years ago, I was hired as an English teacher at Anderson County High School.

A Horseback Poker Run is set for Sunday, June 22, from 1 to 5 p.m. to raise money for Relay for Life.

The event will be at the Taylorsville Lake horse riding area. Riders pay $5 for a hand, and can pay $1 for one extra card. Half of the proceeds will go to the winner, and the other half will be donated to the American Cancer Society. Those attending are asked to bring a dish for a pot-luck picnic.

Another event, "Riding for a Cure," will be Friday, July 11, at 6 p.m. at the American Legion Fairgrounds. There will be horseback games, wagon rides and a silent auction.

The calendar and thermometer both said June but Anderson County basketball was going strong last Thursday as the Bearcats routed visiting Meade County 71-52 in a summer league game.

While Anderson coach Glen Drury keeps not statistics during off-season play, it was easy to see that the Bearcats were playing very well against a team that won 20 games last year. But the game also underscored that summer league games are not the same as the varsity action in late February and March.

"Their coach told me that they were missing one of their better players," Drury said.

On those occasions when W.J. Smith shared just a bit of his knowledge of Anderson County history, I learned about Ducky Holmes, Rhoda Kavanaugh, Paul McBrayer or the Lawrenceburg A's. I came to know at least a bit about anyone else that had been a part of the local sports scene.

I learned about a swallowed tongue. Seven overtimes. And how sports teams at Anderson County High School became known as the Bearcats.

Most of all, W.J. Smith reminded me time and again that sports, even when taken very seriously, are about fun.

Well, we're on our way to getting our average 3 1/2 inches of rain in June. I only hope the rest of it comes without the wind damage. The rain did save my crops and I know I wasn't alone. The long, dry spells do have their benefits. We can plant more.

Now is the time to start seeds for the fall garden. Pumpkins, cabbage and cale crops can be planted from seed to give you more food for the pantry this winter. It's also time to pinch back mums, coleus and impatiens. If that's not enough to keep you off the streets, I've got more.